Unchanged Pit Rule Make People Happy

Auto racing

April 26, 1991|By AL PEARCE Staff Writer

After facing different pit rules every weekend, drivers and crews were happy when NASCAR returned to more-familiar rules last weekend at North Wilkesboro. Except for one thing: how fast is too fast and what is a reasonable speed on pit road?

Ricky Rudd, Jimmy Spencer and Morgan Shepherd were penalized a lap at North Wilkesboro for leaving the pits too fast under caution. That, even though NASCAR doesn't have a fixed speed limit.

``We've told drivers to be careful and prudent, and to hold it down,'' said NASCAR spokesman Chip Williams. ``They can't exceed the pace car's speed coming in the pits, and they're learning they can't leave the pits too quickly, either.

``The pit road speed will vary, depending on the size of the track. It might be slower this weekend at Martinsville than it was at North Wilkesboro, and it'll probably be faster (May 5) at Talladega. We're talking 35 to 45 miles per hour on short tracks and faster on superspeedways.''

Sunday's Hanes 500 at Martinsville Speedway will be the year's second race in which teams may change tires under caution.

KENNY WINS AGAIN

After struggling as a Top Fuel rookie last year, long-time NHRA drag racing star Kenny Bernstein already has three 1991 victories and leads the point standings. He beat wheel-standing Gene Snow last weekend in Commerce, Ga., where Del Worsham beat slow-leaving Mark Oswald in Funny Car and Bob Glidden beat red-lighter Warren Johnson in Pro Stock. The drag racers are idle until May 5 when they visit Memphis, Tenn.

MARLIN WILL RUN

His doctors aren't thrilled about it, but injured racer Sterling Marlin will qualify his car and run the opening laps Sunday in Martinsville. Charlie Glotzbach will stand by to relieve, just as he did last weekend at North Wilkesboro. Marlin was burned April 14 at Bristol, Tenn. and is being treated at the Vanderbilt Burn Clinic in Nashville, Tenn. He'll fly to Martinsville today, qualify, start Sunday's race, then leave the track during the first caution and fly home.

BUFFKIN DOING WELL

Tabb native Mike Buffkin continues to run well in the Late Model class at South Boston Speedway. He started from the pole and finished eighth on opening night, then ran third in both 75-lap features last weekend. With South Boston closed this weekend, Buffkin will make one of his infrequent appearances at Langley Raceway in Hampton.

NASCAR IS 13 OF 14

Darrell Waltrip became NASCAR's 13th different winner in its last 14 races last weekend at North Wilkesboro. The only two-time winner in that stretch has been Dale Earnhardt , at Phoenix and Richmond. Beginning at Dover in September, the winners have been Bill Elliott, Geoff Bodine, Mark Martin, Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki, Earnhardt, Shepherd, Ernie Irvan, Earnhardt , Kyle Petty, Ken Schrader, Rudd, Rusty Wallace and Waltrip.

ALDERMAN CAN RACE

Despite a indictment for drug trafficking, current NHRA Pro Stock points-leader Darrell Alderman will be allowed to continue racing until his case is heard in a Louisville, Ky., court. Along with three other men (none of them racers) Alderman was indicted several weeks ago for allegedly transporting and distributing cocaine. He opened the season with victories at Pomona, Phoenix and Houston, and leads Warren Johnson by 1,060 points.

Even wonder what a Winston Cup crew chief makes? Cliff Champion was getting $52,000 a year before being fired last week by mid-pack driver Chad Little. When Little said $52,000 was too much, Champion said he had agreed to work for $50,000, but Little voluntarily bumped it to $52,000. Little, by the way, didn't qualify at North Wilkesboro, his first race without Champion. Said Norfolk native Champion: ``Serves 'em right.''

Today: Busch Pole Show from Martinsville at 3:10 p.m. on WPEX-1490; Saturday: Pit Road Preview from Martinsville at 4:30 p.m. on WPEX; Modified 150 from Martinsville at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN; Grand National 200 from Lanier, Ga. at 6:30 p.m. on WPEX; USAC Midgets from Ventura, Calif. at 9 p.m. on ESPN; Sunday: Grand Prix of San Marino at 8:30 a.m. on ESPN; Winston Cup 500 from Martinsville at 12:15 p.m. on WPEX and at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN